To accommodate the growing number of National Cadet Corps (NCC) aspirants from the Malwa belt, the authorities have sent a proposal to defence ministry to upgrade 3 Punjab Company at Ropar to battalion level, Col AS Chandoke, officiating group commander, NCC Group Headquarters, said on Wednesday.
“The process would be completed in a year and would allow a large number of aspirants to don the NCC uniform,” he added.
While the present strength of the company is 200 at senior division (SD) level and 1,650 at junior division (JD) level, after the upgrade, SD intake would increase to 1,120 and JD's would be raised to 2,400.
“With the increase in number of seats, students from more colleges and schools would be included and
the previous waiting list would be cleared,” he claimed.
Adding that the upgrade process would take time as sanction was needed from the centre due to fund restrictions and vacancies limitation, Chandoke said 25% of the funds were provided by the state and 75% by the centre.
He disclosed that after the upgrade, the company would be moved to SAS Nagar, and a large section of area presently covered by the Patiala battalion would be handed over.
{{/usCountry}}He disclosed that after the upgrade, the company would be moved to SAS Nagar, and a large section of area presently covered by the Patiala battalion would be handed over.
{{/usCountry}}“With the distribution of the area, more candidates from Patiala district would be accommodated in the Patiala battalion,” Chandoke said.
Authorities said that from this year onwards, the organisation has started offering NCC as an additional subject in classes 9 and 10, and as an elective subject in classes 11 and 12.
However, only four schools in Ropar and one in Sunam have started offering it from this academic session, and only one school in Patiala has sent a proposal to offer it from the next academic session.
NCC is more popular among rural students, and Bathinda region has been producing the best shooters and bhangra dancers, the authorities added.
As many as 146 schools and 85 colleges in Bathinda, Patiala, Barnala, SAS Nagar, Ropar, Muktsar and Mansa are covered under the NCC Patiala Group HQ. The total authorised vacancies at the group HQ is 5,855 at SD level and 11,250 at JD level.